Forum:Forum Purpose and Structure
Elansa suggested the idea of a council on the ER forums with the intent of bringing RP guilds and RPers together. This could be done a monthly meeting, with delegates from each guild interested in participating. Each guild would get a turn to share (I presume OOC) what's going on with their guild, particular storylines, instances being attempted - anything that others are welcome to be a part of. One alternative or addition to this idea is to use this wiki and these forums for that purpose. So, since I opened my big mouth .... I thought I'd start off forums here for purposes of discussion. Following Elansa's great suggestion, we'd first need RPers and RP guilds to be aware of and use these forums. If we can get folks to buy in to this (a critical step), I'd suggest that we have participants take turns (as they would at a meeting) in sharing thoughts, ideas and opportunities. Of course, forums are dynamic and anyone could offer up invitations to storylines or whatever at any time. Having a thread, though, that 'forces' everyone to take a turn makes sure shy folks get their chance. Perhaps we start a thread called 'The Podium' or some such. What do folks think? --Tai Jiang 12:43, 5 April 2007 (UTC) (No clue how a Wiki forum works so I'm just going to wing it :D) I'm one of those people that prefers to find RP by just doing my thing ICly. That being said, I think this council-forum-thing is a good idea. Currently I have no further suggestions --Bronil 1:22 PM EDT, April 5, 2007 I tend to be the same way Bronil. I'm not as interested in writing out plotlines or anything like that. I see the benefit more as simply helping with the logistics of far-flung (geograhpically and temporally) RPers finding each other. Some of that makes IC sense as well, imo. If there's been trouble on the roads around Theramore (see the Theramore Gambit), there are characters that should have heard about that IC. We'd been posting stories about that and still had plenty of people who had no idea it was going on, with characters that should have IC knowledge of it. I'd compare this to asking around a bunch of folks to find a good night to get together to play tabletop RP (picking a night, choosing a game, setting ground rules, etc.) rather than writing out a script together. --Tai Jiang 18:12, 5 April 2007 (UTC) I like the idea of coordinating and bringing people together, but I think using the official WoW ER forums would just lead to more noise than signal. Having a page here, working like a recruiting board/whiteboard for RP theorycrafting related to Earthen Ring, makes a lot more sense to me. --Stamp 21:21, 5 April 2007 (UTC) To be honest. I'd love to use the Wiki. But I'm big time intimidated. I think perhaps it's just not my thing, and this may be the case with others as well. Any ideas on an easy way for people to take advantage of this resource? I find it awesome and simple to browse and find things, but not so simple to add them in. I'm really good at finding the difficult ways to do things, perhaps there's an easier route? --Elansa 14:15, 9 April 2007 One of the big recent changes to the wiki is the new page template system. Every time someone starts to create a new page they are greeted with the option of using custom, pre-loading templates for stories and characters. These templates set up a standard system for adding pages of those types and give instructions on how to properly write in content. Have you seen the templates, Elansa? While I know those have been effective, we are still searching for new ways to make the wiki easier to use. How could the site become more friendly for you? When you come to this site, what isn't here that you feel should be? --Lilithia 20:01, 9 April 2007 (UTC) As Lilithia pointed out, there is the new page template. Also, there is the Tutorial, as well as instructionson how to add Stories and the character template. I think the forums are not as user-friendly as most folks are used to, but they make sense if you've gotten used to adding stories or characters. Also, don't be afraid to try something. From what I've seen, folks will help - and changes are reversible! --Tai Jiang 20:14, 9 April 2007 (UTC) I haven't checked out the new templates, but I'm sure those will help me tons in the area of character/story/and event pages. The tutorial and I are good friends. *hugs tutorial* I'm getting it. It's just... a bit on the slower side for me, and I'm not really sure how to make it any easier. It certainly isn't anything you're not doing Lilithia. The site is wonderful. As for getting people to post up guild events here... I suppose that was the idea from the get go, and something you all hav been trying to get accomplished from the very beginning. Perhaps posting a link to these forums and the place where they can put up guild events that others are welcome to. Also... I read that there's a calendar somewhere, but I can't seem to find it? --Elansa 22:06, 11 April 2007 (UTC) That's a very good question! Lil? Also, in grad school, we had grad students give one seminar a year as a way to let others know what we were doing. Is that a fair analogy for what you were thinking of Elansa? If so, we'd need to figure out how often someone would present, and who's willing to present. Right now I'm not sensing we have critical mass. Heh ... --Tai Jiang 22:39, 11 April 2007 (UTC) I believe that you'll find the templates to be an amazing supporting resource to using the wiki, Elansa. The templates are created so that someone with no wiki experience can easily make a page of their own. Guild events, calendar, forum tweaks--all of these things are coming up. Development has been slow to this point because, well... I've just been nightmarishly busy, and when I wasn't I really didn't feel like doing much of anything one could consider productive; however, I should have time this weekend. I don't really want to make the changes to the wiki very public unitl they are completely effor. On Ok... so I've done quite a bit of fiddling, and I think I'm finally getting the hang of things. The only trouble I'm still having is uploading art files. For some reason, even after adding the categories:art and other things... the piece still isn't ending up where it should. Perhaps I'm not putting the artist in correctly? *shrugs* I'm still doing my best to get my guild going and getting all their information so that I might make pages for their characters, and then transfer stories, art work, and events. Take your time Lilithia. I was just under the impression that a calendar was already set up and working. I must have read something wrong. :P Also, I haven't tried posting any Upcoming or Repeatable events yet, so I may need some assistance there as well. Yay! I'm learning to use the Wiki. Is there a test? Can I become a Wiki Master? --Elansa 18:59, 19 April 2007 (UTC) Post an example link for a piece of art? I'll give it a look ASAP. --Stamp 19:47, 19 April 2007 (UTC) Yeah, Elansa, I found it became a lot clearer as I did more it. It's pretty cool once you get used to it! As for the events (I'm a big fan of trying to expand the use of the events and storyline sections), make a page like you would any page and add the following categories (with the details speccifc to the event): Category:Events Category:Upcoming_Events Category:Elansa Category:Taijiang Any event always gets the Event category tag, and gets either a Upcoming_Events, Recurring_Events, or Past_Events category tag. And these can change obviously, as an upcoming event eventually becomes a past event. --Tai Jiang 20:21, 19 April 2007 (UTC) _